1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to walk-in bathtubs for those with reduced mobility that allow for pre-filling thereof prior to entry. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a walk-in bathtub that allows a user to fill the tub without being positioned therein while having the entry door in an open position. The device facilitates setting the bathtub as would be possible with a traditional tub, whereafter the user can enter the bathtub without climbing over the bathtub wall.
For those with reduced mobility, including the elderly and disabled, moving into and exiting from a typical bathtub can be difficult. Most bathtubs include a raised wall used to contain the water within the bathtub interior. This wall presents an obstacle for some users as it requires the user to step over the wall to enter the bath. This can be difficult and even dangerous for those with reduced mobility from injury or impairment, as the user has to step over the bathtub wall one leg at a time while maintaining balance on a single foot. While this is readily accomplished for one of normal health and strength, physical impairments and age can quickly diminish one's capacity to engage in such routine activities.
To improve the safety and reduce the burden of exiting and entering a bathtub for those with limited mobility, different types of walk-in bathtubs are available that assist stepping into and exiting from a bathtub interior that do not require the user to step over an obstacle. The ability to walk directly into the shower without lifting a leg or shifting one's weight drastically reduces the chances of injury, and further enables one to easily enter or exit the shower without straining or slipping. Generally these bathtubs include an open layout or a raised wall having an entry door therealong to provide through-access. The open layout design is mostly used in shower stall settings, while entry doors are disposed on fillable bathtubs structures.
While many walk-in bathtubs exist in the art and are readily available to consumers, these devices retain an inherent drawback that has to be resolved, Notably, when filling a walk-in bathtub with bath water, the door must be in a closed position in order to retain the water therein. Generally the door is lined with a seal or gasket to prevent water leakage therethrough from the tub interior. When in a closed position, the door supports the pressure exerted on the door interior and the tub can be filled for the user to soak in the tub interior as desired.
This arrangement, while useful for providing an entryway into the tub, does not allow the user to first set the bathtub by filling the same and bringing the bath water to an appropriate temperature before entering thereinto. If the user desires to set the water before entering the bathtub, the door must be a closed position and the tub therefore returns to a traditional tub arrangement with a uniform outer wall for the user to climb over. This defeats the purpose of the entry door and therefore makes the exercise of first setting the tub not feasible for those with mobility problems who may require a walk-in arrangement in the first place.
The present invention is submitted as a new and novel walk-in bathtub arrangement that serves a long-felt need in the art. Specifically, the present invention contemplates a walk-in bathtub that is capable of being set before the user enters thereinto, wherein the user can fill the tub interior, place desired soaps and treatments into the water, and ensure a desired water temperature before being in the tub. The bathtub includes a removable dam element that segments the tub interior into a first and second compartment, whereby the first compartment can be filled while the second compartment acts as an operable entryway, operable seating area, or water-fillable compartment after the bathwater in the first compartment is set. This allows the user to set the bathwater prior to entry thereinto without being forced to close the entry door, while two separate drains and dam element allow the user to exit the tub from the second compartment while the first compartment is still being drained.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to walk-in bathtub arrangements and entry doors therefor. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publication, and generally relate to different tub arraignments, those with operable entry doors, and other with interior seat accommodations. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
One such device in the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 7,299,509 to Neidich, which discloses a door assembly for a walk-in bathtub, wherein the device comprises a first track that accommodates a gasket along the length of the door frame, and a second track for mounting the door hinge. The gasket forms a tight seal between the door and the walk-in bathtub, whereby the door will not leak fluid when the tub is filled with water. While teaching a novel door for a walk-in bathtub and disclosing a bathtub of the walk-in type, the Neidich device fails to teach the novel configuration of the present invention, which provides a user with flexibly with regard to preparing, entering, and thereafter using the walk-in bathtub.
Similar to the Neidich device, U.S. Pat. No. 8,375,478 to Luo discloses a walk-in bathtub having a bathtub frame, a door jamb, a hingedly attached door attached to the door jamb, and a gasket disposed between the door and door jamb to prevent leaks therefrom. To secure the door to the door jamb, and thus create a flush seal that encloses the tub water within the bathtub frame, a movable handle and latching pin secure the door against the gasket. The Luo device, similar to the Neidich device, teaches of a new door and seal for a walk-in bathtub, and fails to disclose the novel operating functions and structural elements of the present invention.
Further related to walk-in bathtub doors is U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0263119 to Neidich, which describes a door assembly having a first and second door mount to provide a double axis hinge for the door connecting to the bathtub threshold. The double axis hinge allows the door to be removed from its closed position and placed in a position that faces the interior of the door towards the bathtub when in an open position, rather than a single hinge door that swing open in an arcing fashion. Similar to the aforementioned devices related to walk-in bathtub doors, the Neidich double axis door does not contemplate the novel features of the present invention and is limited to a new door type for walk-in bathtubs.
Finally, U.S. Patent No. 2005/0102746 to Wright discloses a walk-in bathtub that includes a unitary body forming an elevated seat portion and a lower floor region. A water-tight door is fitted to a door frame on the unitary body and adjacent to the lower floor region, whereby water can be filled into the floor region for the user to bath. A drain hole is positioned on the lower floor region to drain the bathwater between users and to allow for opening the door. The Wright device discloses a seated bathtub having a seat portion and lower leg portion. The Wright device is not capable of filling until the user has entered the bathtub and closed the water-tight door. The present invention contemplates an assembly that allows the user to fill the bathtub with water and prepare the same at a given temperature before entering for bathing activities. The user can freely enter and exit the bathtub, whereby a dam element prevents water from entering the back portion of the tub and pressing against the entry door.
The present invention provides a walk-in bathtub that allows the tub to be first set and filled before the user enters the bathtub interior. The bathtub of the present invention can be utilized as a standup shower, as a soaking tub, or as a bathtub with an internal seat therein. Overall, the assembly provides an elderly or injured user with a more convenient means of taking baths or showers, whereby the bath can be filled and set prior to entry and the bathtub can be utilized in a number of different configurations.
It is submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing walk-in bathtub devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.